Nav view search

Navigation

Search

No Bugles

Monika Schaefer in German Jail

Letter to the CBC program "The Eyeopener" regarding interview on Jan 5, 2018 with B'nai Brith spokesman, Anthony Fishman - Subject related to Monika Schaefer of Jasper, BC, Canada, being jailed on Jan 3, 2018 for her Youtube video "Sorry Mom, I was wrong about the Holocaust". Monika Schaefer was in the court audience just observing, in Switzerland, as Sylvia Stolz was being heard for appeal on her own charges of "inciting hatred and violence" for speeches she herself made over the years on matters relating to the Holocaust. Sylvia Stolz has already spent time in jail and is one of about 70 "deniers" presently actually in German jails for these "crimes" as we speak. Some of the exact facts about how Monika Schaefer got transferred to Germany's jail remain unclear. And details of Sylvia Stolz's situation now are also unclear. The result is B'nai Brith and ADL and other Jewish organizations have jumped at this opportunity to underscore that they will continue to violate the spirit and law of the United Nations Articles 18 and 19 of free speech. It must be clear that at no time have Monika Schaefer or Sylvia Stolz or their supporters ever suggested or condoned anything remotely related to hatred or violence of any kind. Quite the opposite. What is happening in Germany, and has happened in UK, US and Canada, to charge innocent people for free speech is concerning to say the least, and should be discussed in a public forum with all sides in a civilized open debate. Presently, there is no debate, and the groups opposing debate, the BN and ADL, are being allowed to dictate terms and interpretation of the law as to what can be discussed without facing charges and jail time. It's time to deal with this properly if we cherish our freedom of expression. The media is the first line of defence for free speech and this is not being done at this time.

Dear Eyeopener,

I just heard your interview by David Grey with Anthony Fishman of B'nai Brith regarding the jailing in Germany of Monika Schaefer. The interview was a podium for Mr Fishman who guided the interview and David Grey who helplessly tip-toed around the interview. I would also suggest B'nai Brith contacted Eyeopener and not the other way round. Fishman used the opportunity to attack Monika Schaefer as he and his group do to anyone who dares speak out on this issue. Her crime? Denial.

David Grey was appeared uninformed about Monika Schaefer or Sylvia Stolz and relied totally on Anthony Fishman to fill him in on the "facts". Unchallenged, this was Anthony Fishman's cake-walk interview.

On Jan 3, a few days ago, when Monika Schaefer was arrested in Switzerland, she was just sitting in the audience, like dozens of other people, listening, attending a court hearing for Sylvia Stolz, who has been charged in Germany years ago and jailed for being a Holocaust denier. That is Sylvia Stolz's crime that Anthony Fishman and his organization, B'nai Brith, keep a watchful eye out for. She is not alone in her opinion and the B'nai Brith and the Anti-Defamation League are ever-ready to pounce on anyone who is courageous enough to speak out on the Holocaust.

Neither Monika Schaefer nor Sylvia Stolz have ever incited hatred or violence against any individual. Listen to their speeches. Please judge for yourself on the Monika Schaefer's Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0_BZphQ7Qo) "Sorry Mom, I was wrong..." . There are many other websites that are intelligent, civilized, non-violent and simply curious and open-minded to explore various facts on history. Not just the Holocaust but other "official" versions of history that bear scrutiny and re-examination. I know of no website or individuals that condone violence or hatred against any group.

The Holocaust issue is much to complex to debate or explain in a short email but it has become the pre-eminent lightning rod for Jewish groups to keep anyone from denying or even just speaking about. It is basically, off-topic anywhere.

Whether you accept the Holocaust verbatim or completely write it off as fantasy or anything in between is irrelevant to what is happening in Canadian society and Europe and the United States on the subject of free speech, today. The concern of many, myself included, is the revocation of individual rights to think and speak freely on any subject. Something that has been enshrined not just in Canada's Constitution but in the United Nations itself on Dec 10, 1948.

united nations: Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Article 18.

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Article 19.Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

B'nai Brith through spokesmen like Anthony Fishman, has been vigilantly trying to circumvent the UN Declaration since it's inception. Canada, US, UK and European nations have enshrined their own rights, that mirror the UN's. Which B'nai Brith, through spokesmen like Anthony Fishman, openly violate and the CBC permits and Canadian law allows to go unchallenged.

Anthony Fishman clearly suggested that Monika Schaefer had incited hatred and violence and other acts that surely would be considered against the law. Okay, then charge her for that. But the fact is she has not done anything of the sort. She has expressed a sincere consciousness about the accuracy of the Holocaust story. She questions it. That's all. As do many others. As a result, Monika Schaefer has, herself, been subjected by vilification by her own community in Jasper. And now by Anthony Fishman on the CBC, which, in it's limp David Grey interview, allowed Anthony Fishman to throw accusations and character assassination to go unchallenged. Monika Schaefer is an ordinary Canadian citizen who has committed no crime anywhere and CBC allowed this B'nai Brith representative to cast aspersions and accusations against someone who exercised their given rights under Articles 18 and 19 of the UN Declaration and our Canadian Constitution and you allowed her to stand there defenceless as he destroyed her on public radio. This was a public tarring and feathering while you stood around and did nothing.

If you agree that Monika Schaefer is guilty, then your interview was fair and square and she deserved what she got. If, however, you believe she was within her UN and Cdn rights to speak freely, regardless of anyone's position on the subject, then you did poorly as a public broadcaster and should be ashamed.

While I, personally, might have serious questions about the existence of God or the accuracy of the events such as the American Civil War and many other things, I have no fear of going to jail over my outspoken beliefs on these subjects. It is the Holocaust and the Holocaust alone that could put me behind bars and destroy my life for simply "expressing" an opinion on it. As is happening to people like Monika Schaefer, Alfred Schaefer and Sylvia Stolz, plus the 70 others now sitting in German jails for the same "crime".

CBC is silent on it too. While you interviewed Anthony Fishman, will you interview one of dozens of deniers such as Alfred Schaefer or hundreds of others who openly discuss this? How about an open discussion with the Lethbridge professor? Will David Grey continue to refer to "deniers" as a "tiny fringe group"? CBC as our national broadcaster has a duty to seek out truth and protect free speech. And if nothing else to at least balance the discussion. There should be no fear and no barrier to any CBC host and employee to do their due diligence on any subject and challenge people like Anthony Fishman, more that David Grey felt he could get away with.

Yes, coming up against powerful groups like B'nai Brith and ADL is intimidating. Once in a while when a tough subject involving morality and constitutional rights CBC and the Eyeopener could do much better to be a bit more informed and a lot more brave to take up the challenge to stand up for our basic freedom protected by the UN Declaration, Articles 18 and 19. This is your duty. To stand up and protect our basic right to talk about anything without being cast out of society or going to jail.